Meet Gabe

Update: My family has found me!

Gabe was born December of 2008. He was only 18 months when he first arrived at Bethel. He has had both eyes removed due to Retinoblastoma (cancer of the eye), but he has been cancer free for a few years now! He has two prosthetic eyes and the best smile! He is a very affectionate little boy and he loves to hug people, sometimes he will pretend to complain if one of his teachers tries to give him a kiss – but we know he loves it!

Gabe is very independent, he can walk and run, eat by himself, clean his plate, get his own water, brush his teeth and many other self-help skills similar to a normal 5 year old. He is a fast learner and did so well in his last class that he moved up to be with the older kids. He has lots of energy and he is still a bit fidgety during lessons! He could easily go to a mainstream school and learn with sighted children.

Meet Jerry

Jerry was born in 2006 without eyes and he came to Bethel when he was just 2. He was’t able to stand or walk but with a lot of therapy he has grown into a normal boy – he runs around and plays. He has the cutest, cheekiest smile!

In August 2013, he moved into Bethel’s City Life project in Beijing. He lives in an apartment in the community with 6 other boys and a Bethel ayi and every day he goes to the Beijing School for the Blind. He has excellent cane skills and he is good at walking everywhere and exploring new places. He can go grocery shopping with his ayis. He is very clever and does well in all of his classes. He can read and write in Braille and in October 2013 he ran 4km in the Beijing marathon! He is an independent, sweet little boy! He could easily go to a mainstream school and learn with sighted children.

Meet Robbie

Update: My family has found me!

Robbie three year old bundle of fun! He arrived at Bethel in August 2013. He loves to jump, play, talk and sing and he really likes being silly. He has low vision and he can see people, big shapes and bright colours.

He has just started primary school and now he is learning the structure of the classroom, potty training and how to sit in a chair and learn some fun things! He is very sweet and he loves attention, he is a monkey!

Meet Lizzie

Lizzie is a beautiful little girl who has light perception, which means that she can only things that are light and dark. Her favourite thing to do it to stand in the light of the sun coming through the window and make shadows across her face. She is like a sunflower! She was born in 2005.

She can put on her shoes, pick up food and put it in her mouth, and use the bathroom by herself. She has been in one-one-one speech therapy classes for several months and she loves them! She does not talk but she is learning to communicate her needs through signs. She loves hugs but will cry when someone stops hugging her. She is in a special-needs class at preschool and she has done very well with structure and education. She really enjoys listening to music and hearing nursery rhymes. She needs some extra love and attention from a family.

Meet Jason

Update: My family has found me!

Jason has low vision and he does not let anything stop him. He runs up and down the halls of his school saying “Hello!” to everyone he met. He’s a good listener, and loves to be picked up and hugged by his aiyis. Jason enjoys to play with musical toys such as the piano, and he loves playing with visitors. He was born in 2007. He gets along well with the other children and is always giggling about something. He loves to run, jump, hug and is a very active little boy. He is very confident because he can see obstacles (walls, cars) and so he runs everywhere. He loves buses and cars, and anything with wheels, he is a typical little boy!

He has great self help skills and can now put on his own clothes, brush his teeth, serve himself food, and make his own bed. He has chores around the house including washing up dishes and folding clothes. In school he loves memorizing English songs and animals. Jason could go to a mainstream school and learn with sighted children. He is so much fun!

Meet Kellin

Update: My family has found me!

Kellin is a beautiful two year old who was in Bethel’s care for 10 months in 2012. He improved so much during that time, he went from being a weak, unhappy baby to being a fat, happy baby! He loves to be cuddled and loves to speak baby babble and play with his lips so that they make sounds, and he repeats words. He learned how to crawl and to stand and he started to walk holding hands with one of his ayis.

Since he has been back at his orphanage, he has been very unhappy. He cries all of the time and he does not receive the care and attention that he needs. He mostly lies in his crib all day and he cries. This is such a different baby to the boy when he was at Bethel and we know that with the love and attention of a family, he will return to his happy, healthy self. Kellin is listed with Children’s Hope International.

Visit Bethel’s adoption advocacy page to see all of the kids who are paper-ready and looking for a family.

Families who have adopted children with vision impairment:
Billy Bunch
Learning Patience

Contact the Advocacy Team with any questions about starting the adoption process or questions about these children.